Imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid (H3IDC) and its derivatives are widely used in the preparation of new coordination polymers owing to their versatile bridging coordination modes and potential hydrogen-bonding donors and acceptors. A new one-dimensional coordination polymer, namely catena-poly[[diaquacadmium(II)]-μ3-2,2'-(1,2-phenylene)bis(1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylato)], [Cd(C16H6N4O8)0.5(H2O)2]n or [Cd(H2Phbidc)1/2(H2O)2]n, has been synthesized by the reaction of Cd(OAc)2·2H2O (OAc is acetate) with 2,2'-(1,2-phenylene)bis(1H-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxylic acid) (H6Phbidc) under solvothermal conditions. In the polymer, one type of Cd ion (Cd1) is six-coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms from one H2Phbidc4- ligand and by two O atoms from two water molecules, forming a significantly distorted octahedral CdN2O4 coordination geometry. In contrast, the other type of Cd ion (Cd2) is six-coordinated by two N atoms and two O atoms from two symmetry-related H2Phbidc4- ligands and by two O atoms from two symmetry-related water molecules, leading to a more regular octahedral coordination geometry. The Cd1 and Cd2 ions are linked by H2Phbidc4- ligands into a one-dimensional chain which runs parallel to the b axis. In the crystal, the one-dimensional chains are connected through hydrogen bonds, generating a two-dimensional layered structure parallel to the ab plane. Adjacent layers are further linked by hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional structure in the solid state.
Keywords: 1,2-phenylene; cadmium(II); crystal structure; fluorescence properties; imidazoledicarboxylate; one-dimensional coordination polymer; thermal stability.